The present invention relates generally to pneumatic cleaners (vacuums, blowers, etc.), and more particularly to vacuum cleaners that can be worn as a backpack.
Over the years, vacuum cleaners and blowers have been adapted for many different uses. Generally, powerful units are large, bulky, and inherently noisy. Interior ducting is commonly used to dampen the noise produced by a motor and internal airflow. This ducting further increases the bulk of a unit.
Portability is a common concern. To improve portability, some vacuums or blowers (including those seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,647,586; 6,115,879; 5,040,263; and 4,223,419) have been designed with a strap that can be slung over a user's shoulder. Others (including those seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,473,933; 6,151,749; 6,066,211; and 4,944,065) have been designed with waist belts. Still others (including those seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,857,163; 6,568,026; 6,553,610; 6,431,024; 6,295,692; 6,073,301; 5,267,371; 4,748,712; 4,658,778; and RE37,081) have been designed to be worn as backpacks.
One problem with backpack vacuums is that the size and depth of a quiet, powerful unit can make the unit awkward to carry.